Bison Win Second Straight with 57-34 Victory over Geneva

Dec. 5 -BETHANY, W.Va. – Behind 11 players scoring at least two points and a dominating 56-35 rebounding margin, the Bethany College women’s basketball team scored its first conference win of the year by downing Geneva 57-34 Wednesday night.

The triumph was the team’s second straight and moved BC’s records to 3-5 overall and 1-2 in the PAC, while the Golden Tornadoes fell to 0-7 and 0-3.

The first half was slow going for both sides offensively, as the Bison held a 12-8 lead with 11 minutes off the clock. The BC balance really had an effect through the rest of the half, as seven different players scored during a 18-2 charge. Only junior Taylor Verrico (Monaca, Pa./Quigley), who had five, scored multiple baskets during the run, which helped give the Bison a 30-13 lead at halftime.

After the Golden Tornadoes scored the first bucket of the second half, Bethany responded with eight consecutive markers to swell their cushion to 38-15. The Bison would coast to the finish from there, as they limited Geneva to only 34 points, the lowest total scored against BC since Feb., 14, 2009 when Bethany defeated Chatham 55-29.

With so many different players scoring, only two managed to reach double digits in the victory for the Bison. Recording 10 points each was senior Kayla Taormina (Center Twp., Pa./Quigley) and freshman Mikyla Tipton (above right - Wellsville, Ohio) and Taormina notched her second double-double of the year and eighth of her career by adding 10 boards.

She did not post high rebounding honors for the Green and White however, as freshman Brianna Nuzum (right - Morgantown, W.Va.) snared 11 boards to go along with eight points. Verrico only scored five, but also managed to pull down nine rebounds and passed off a team-leading four assists.

Geneva’s effort was led by Heidi Mann and Leah Prisuta with eight points apiece.

The Bison will look for a third win in a row Saturday when Thiel comes to campus for a 2 p.m. tip-off. The Tomcats fell to 2-6 and 1-2 in the conference with a 69-60 setback at Westminster Wednesday night.